GRAY Undercover l Shane Gray Love Story
by MemoryWriter
Summary: After seeing Ash's GRAY Story, it's time for Ember's spotlight. See Ember's point of view during the undercover spy adventures with her best friend Shane. Moving back can be harder to get used to than you think, especialy with, of course, rising feelings.
1. Ember Bright Star Pt1

_Ember, is being sent by her father to a whole new place. No surprise there, but this time she's staying there, alone, permanently. Right when Ember thought her life couldn't get any worse. By back in Wyckoff, there's a familiar essence drifting in the air. Childhood friends maybe? There is no sub-plot._

* * *

**CHAPTER 1: Ember-Bright Star Pt1**

"I'm going to what?" I asked in disbelief.

Dad closed his suitcase. "Why sound so surprised? I figured you'd be used to this just like your last trip."

"Yeah but those two months seems small compared to the rest of my life," I said. My dad was going on yet another business trip. But this time, he was sending me somewhere _else_, as in not with him! And forever! It's like he's leaving me! "It's like you're leaving me!"

"Naaah, naaah, don't think about it like that! I'll still talk to you and see you, just not face to face," he said positively, making me hang my mouth open with my arms out. "Now pack, you're leaving tomorrow morning."

"WHAT?!" I asked. I know my dad's like king of whatever and ever, but he's not the king of me. "T-That's too soon! What about my school? My friends?"

"What friends?" he asked. Shoot he was right. With all our moving, I don't have any friends.

".... What about my school?!"

"Ember," he said sternly.

"Where am I even going?" I asked as he walked around , me following him.

"To Wyckoff. You remember Ash and the Grays don't you?"

"Who?" I asked.

"And you say I'm forgetful," he said, now on his phone.

"Wait I don't understand! Where are you sending me?!"

"Here's your ticket! Go to the airport tomorrow at 8:00 for the 10:00 flight to New Jersey bye sweetie!" he said, leaving the room and slamming the door in my face. I sighed my head down. This was my life. No memories worth keeping, no long to talk to, no one to be there for me.

Back up in my room, I packed my one luggage for tomorrow, seeing as my Dad already left for his trip. And each time I'd pack for leaving, I'd think, is there anything worth remembering during my stay?.... Was there anything I could remember, of when I was happy..... And each time I would reply to myself: no.

And then suddenly, my eyes snapped open from their sleepy look. A memory flashed through my mind, a little girl with short black hair, running with a small brown curly-haired boy, giggling. They tackled an older boy laughing. And a little far off was a basketball court, the younger me, and another boy. We were playing basketball, but paused, having seen the two young children tackle the boy. Me and my friend smiled at each other, him holding the basketball.

"Where did that come from?" I asked myself out loud. But after a while, I shook the thought off, having to prepare for my trip tomorrow morning across the country.

That night, I woke up at 3:00 in the morning, in my pajamas a robe. With that I walked out to the balcony and looked up. I saw only one star in the sky. For some reason, every time I wake up at 3:00 in the morning, no matter where I'm at, I will always see one star in the sky in plain view. No more, no less. And since I could remember it, I made it my wishing star. I don't know how, but from what I remember it is.

I folded my hands, bringing them up to my chest, closing my eyes with my head held high. "I wish I can find a home." Little did I know, this wish was going to be granted, very very much granted.

--

I was in my airplane, which was landing now, flying towards the ground. I was sitting alone in my row, which I felt relieved for. I was happy I was alone. It was what I was used to. As I starred out my window to see the ground come closer, I noticed my hair's reflection. In my black hair I now had yellow, orange, and red high lights, which I put in early this morning, permanently. I didn't know why, but I felt I had to, before I came here back to Wyckoff.

Wait, back.... did I just say back?... Was I ever here before? I'm constantly traveling with my Dad, so I've been everywhere, litteraly. At least in this country. But I feel I have a great connection with Wyckoff.

"Flight 674 at gate 3 has landed," said the speaker as I went through the crowd with my luggage.

"Ember! Over here!" I looked up, seeing a woman. Mrs. Drame I supposed. That was who my dad told me I'd be living with.

I ran up to her, somehow feeling safe. "Um, hey. Mrs. Drame right?"

"That's me. You must be the infamous Ember Fervens. Welcome," she said with a heartwarming smile and picking up my luggage for me. Wow. Strong woman. "Come on, we'll get this to my car. Your house awaits with a couple troublesome teens."

Teens? Is there other people living with Mrs. Drame? Well, this is adventure I guess.

"Bye the way nice hair," she complimented, making me blush and smile.

"Thanks," I said, buckling my seat belt. Mrs. Drame starred at me surprised. "What?"

"It's weird. You put on your seat belt," she said as if shocked. "Whenever my daughter gets in here she never wears her seat belt."

I chuckled. She had a good sense of humor. I never thought I'd meet an adult who acted like a young teen like Mrs. Drame. As we drove through town, it was no large business buildings. Just apartments, shops, and then a residential area with a bunch of green. And it was amazing. I wasn't riding in a limo where my sneakers had to be clean before I got on. I was in a regular car, where it didn't matter if I stained the floor with dirty water. Where it didn't matter if I left fingerprints on the window. Where the windows weren't tainted black so I can see clearly. As we drove, we passed a fire house, which looked oddly familiar.

"And here we are," Ms. Drame said, parking the car in a yard.

"This is where you live?" I asked in amazement, starring at the cozy but modern looking house.

"I know its not like those fancy five star hotels your dad always takes you but it fits," she said.

"No this is great. I've always wanted to live somewhere... quiet."

"Boy will you be disappointed later," she said, taking my luggage out of her car as I gave her a confused face.

We walked into the house, and it was even better inside. Lots of room, no giant tables, to paperwork piled up anywhere. I just kept starring in awe as I walked around, spinning. then I saw a small green plant and I touched its leaves. "It's real," I said in disbelief.

"Yeah, we planted it over the summer and it grew pretty fast. We thought it'd be a shame for it to die out in the winter so we dug it up and placed it here," Ms. Drame said, hanging up her sweater. "We'll be planting it back outside once the cold weather disperses."

"That's nice," I said.

"Your room's upstairs, on the door across. Left door is mine, right door is bathroom," she said, walking through a giant square in the wall that seemed to be the kitchen. I carried my bag and went upstairs.

--

It was now afternoon, and I wasn't even half done. Apparently my dad sent more of my things from my other homes in packages, all to this house.

"Ugh, sorry my dad sent all this stuff," I said, carrying the last of it upstairs.

"Don't worry, my daughter and her friends will help you unpack later," she said, straightening her back. "Speaking of the little devils they'll be home any minute. You remember Ash don't you?"

"I'm sorry, I don't," I said with a shy grin as I scratched the back of my neck. "My dad asked me the same question."

"Sure you don't remember. Before your father became that cocky Hollywood producer you guys used to live around here. Don't tell me you forgot."

"I forgot."

"...Ok well that changes a lot of my theories," she said. "Anyway, just try and relax, while you can. You'll be living here with the kids of chaos. I'll be downstairs to see if my food's ready."

"Thanks," I laughed as she left. I know teenagers are wild but I'm sure it's fine. After a while I heard a slam downstairs, making me shoot my head up and I stood in place, holding a small box in my hands.

"I'm shaking a what with who now?" I heard a girl's voice say downstairs.

"NEW PERSON!" another shouted as I heard louder footsteps.

With that I hard a bunch more footsteps all charging rapidly, but slowly. Just what was going on anyway? Eventually the door was knocked down like a tree going timber. And on the door were three guys. Two with curly hair, and another with choppy hair. A girl with a cat-ear hat ran over outside the room shocked, but then changed her expression, shaking her head.

"I know you guys can get violent and knock over various pieces of furniture but at least do it at your house where you are actually allowed to do that," she said like a lecture.

"Um..." I said, dropping a box she was holding, or previously holding now that it's on the ground.

The girl made a nervous grin. "Hehe, sorry about these guys. You'll get used to it."

I nodded slowly. I figured Ms. Drame was exaggerating, but I guess I was wrong. "Uh, right. You're Ashley?"

She nodded smiling and walked over the guys and into the room, making the guys groan, but she didn't look like she care at the moment. Hm, my kinda roommate. She held out my hand, me shaking it. "That I am. These are my friends, Jason and Shane. And this is my best friend, Nate."

I smiled, glad I got such a welcoming... welcome. "Nice meeting you all. My name's Ember Fervens."

Ashley smiled back. The girl seemed cool. "Wow. I think we're gonna get along well." She turned back at the guys who broke the door down. "Rights guys?"

"Um, yeah," Jason, I think, said nervous, standing up.

The one named Shane narrowed his eyes at me, lifting his finger. "Wait a minute-"

The brown curly haired one called Nate I think got one of the apples from a nearby desk and stuffed it in Shane's mouth. "Quiet Shane," he gritted through his teeth, smiling to cover up.

Shane took the apple in his hand, coughing. "Nate gross! It's plastic!"

"Then we'll get you a real one back at home," Jason said, pushing Shane out of the room and down the stairs.

Nate looked around and then picked up the door, placing it up against the wall, unsure of what to do. "Um, sorry to leave so early but, um, I'll come help fix the door later kay Ash?"

'Ash' made a confused face. "Um, alright?"

"Sweet, thanks Ash. You rock," Nate said, rushing out of my room.

We blinked then looked at each other, shrugging. Weird.

"So, the guys call you Ash," I said, picking up the box I had dropped.

She kneeled down, helping her. "Yeah. I just think the name Ash sounds cooler than Ashley. You can call me Ash if you want too."

I smiled at how friendly she was, even thought she didn't look all proper. "Ok then."

"I like your name, Ember. Sounds unique. Especially with your hair."

I chuckled, twirling part of my hair with my finger. "Thanks. It's all because of my name actually that my hair got the streaks."

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Do I want to know?"

I shook her head. "Eh I'll tell you eventually. But, uh, nice friends."

Ash laughed, standing back up. "Don't worry about them. They're normal that way. Being the only girl through, it can get pretty hectic."

"I know the feeling," Ember said, placing the box onto her bed. For some reason the feeling of being the only girl rung a bell.

"If you don't mind me asking though, why are you here?" she asked.

"Oh, sorry. Forgot that part of the explanation," I said, hitting her head. I figured she knew. "See, I used to go to an all girls school out of the state. By now my dad's work is traveling all over the place and I can't follow. So he sent me here since he knows your mom."

"Oh," she said, blinking. "Well welcome to New Jersey."

I laughed. "You know, you're the first person to actually welcome me to the state."

Ash grinned. "Well don't I feel special."

We spent the rest of the night helping unpack the rest of the stuff by Dad sent me. While I was setting up my new bed, Ash was placing stuff up on the top shelf. I heard a beeping go off, startling us. Thought it made Ash fall off the footstool she was on, making a bunch of papers fly around.

"Ash you alright?" I asked, looking at her on the floor. That was a nasty fall.

She simply sat up and adjusted her hat. "I'm good." I looked at my watch, turning off the beeping. "Sorry, but I need to be somewhere. Shouldn't take too long."

I nodded and I let her walk out of the room, not having to open the door since, well, it'll have to be fixed later.

Suddenly another memory flashed through my mind. I was in my bedroom, with the boy with the basketball from the last daydream. We were on my bed, doing homework what seemed to be. Suddenly his watched started beeping, and he had a look of panic on his face as I had one of concern. It looked like I was trying to ask if anything was wrong, but he simply said something fast and swung his bag over his shoulder running out with no explanation. He left the younger me sad, starring in the direction. I would wonder, where is he going? Will he be safe? Will he come back?

I blinked hard and shook my head left and ring, my hand holding the wide of my head. And it was that very memory, I finally remembered words.

'Bye Ember. Gotta jet.'

'Alright Gray, later.'

Why did that seem familiar? Gray. I remember when I was little I often called people by their last names. A specific person especially for some reason. "Gray...."


	2. Ember Bright Star Pt2

_Ember, is being sent by her father to a whole new place. No surprise there, but this time she's staying there, alone, permanently. Right when Ember thought her life couldn't get any worse. By back in Wyckoff, there's a familiar essence drifting in the air. Childhood friends maybe? There is no sub-plot._

* * *

**CHAPTER 2: Ember-Bright Star Pt2**

It was night now, and Ms. D said Ash was out somewhere. She says that Ash is always out now, enjoying life. So here I sat, all alone in my bedroom yet again, starring out the window. I opened it and lifted my head out, looking up. And there, I saw a star. The same bright star I'd always see. But it wasn't 3:00. It was then, yet again, I had another flashback

"Ok then let's make a promise," the boy said as we both sat at the park, sitting on the merry go round.

"What do you mean Shane?" the younger me asked. Shane? That was his name?.... The same Shane I saw today?

He pointed his arm up. "See that star?"

"Yes," I said. "I'm not blind. Anyone can see it. It's so bright."

"I know. Every night I always see that one star once it's dark enough,"Shane said with a grin. "My mom told me a long time ago that it that it's a wishing star."

"You believe in those?" I asked, being cynical.

"Yeah," he said with a determined look.

I rolled my eyes. "And I thought all stars are wishing stars."

"That's what other kids say," Shane said with a hand. He lifted his hands again, making L's with his fingers so he could see the star clearer, one eye closed. "This star can be seen by anyone in the world every night at one certian hour, no different anywhere. By here in Wyckoff, where the star originated, it always comes out when it's sunset."

"A star that is shown everywhere at the same time?" I asked in disbelief. "Shane that's illogical, not to mention stupid."

Shane sighed. "Why do you have to be so realistic, Ember?"

"Because someone has to," I said, my chin my my hands. "We'll be growing up some anyway, that's what my dad says."

"Well who cares what your dad says?" Shane said, grabbing my hand, surprising me and making me blush in the night. "I think this star is magic. That's why. It's like your name."

"My name?"

"Yeah, Ember," he said, reciting my name. "They're like shooting stars, hot like meteors, but unique and gentle, and rare," he said. "Can you explain why they appear in the sky?"

"Yeah," I said, making Shane drop his smile. "I don't know why but there's a scientific reason for it somewhere in those 8th grade text books."

"Ember stop being so realistic," he said, going behind me and covering my eyes.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" I said angry.

"Calm down, just calm down," he said, one hand over my eyes and the other on my shoulder. "Now imagine a shooting star."

I took a deep breath and did as Shane said, imagining a shooting star across a dark sky.

"Now make a wish on it."

Silently, in my mind, I made a wish. I wished, for an adventure, with my best friend, Shane. Then he took his hand off, revealing my closed eyes. I opened them, and he was back on my left.

"How did it feel?" he asked.

After a moment of silence, I smiled, looking up at the star. "It was pretty nice. It felt like... I don't know."

"See? Not everything can be explained logically, Ember. Just, go with your heart," he said. And being 12, you don't hear a lot of guys saying sappy stuff like 'follow your heart'. I guess that's what makes Shane my best friend. "And that star up there is like a shooting star.... except it'll always be there, unlike shooting stars which come almost never." He held my hand tighter. "That's what I want our promise to be. We'll always be there for each other. No matter what."

I smiled, feeling so comfortable that he said that. "Not to ruin the moment Shane but, what if we can't psychically be there for each other? What if we're in two separate places and, we can't really see each other?"

"That's what we have my star for," Shane said, us looking up. "But I guess it's our star now. If we're ever apart, just look up at that star. Remember the legend, it's up at the same time, and every night I look at it. So we'll think of each other, be there for each other, whenever we see that star. Best friends."

I held his hand tighter as well. "I promise."

And at the end of that flashback, I was already asleep by the window. The reason the flashback was so long and clear was because it was a dream. "In Wyckoff the star's always up," I remembered. It wasn't too long after I first moved away that I learned the star is visible at 3:00A.M outside Wyckoff. But now that I'm here, I remember everything. "Every night I look at it. So we'll think of each other, be there for each other, whenever we see that star. Best friends."

The star was up now. Did that mean Shane was looking at the star right now? Was he thinking of me? Did he remember me? how unfair was it to him, that I forgot. But yet, I remembered the star, and the strong bond I shared with the star. I wasn't alone all this time these past few years. I had that star that gave me hope, which Joe and I both looked at each night. He kept his promise, to always be there for me.... But I was never there for him in return.

As I contemplated these confusing thoughts in my head, a tear slipped from my eye. "Shane."

--

The next morning, Ash was eating breakfast in the kitchen. I walked down the stairs, seeing Ash at the counter with a paper and pencil.

"Morning," I spoke up, walking down the stairs.

Ash looked up form my toast. "Morning Ember. Here, take a seat, take my toast. I'm not all hungry."

I chuckled and took a seat across from her on a tall stool. "Do you always get up this early?"

"Nah. I just did today because I need some inspiration."

"Really? For what?" I asked curiously.

"I have to make this drawing for the grand opening of the art gallery at the mall," she answered. "But I still don't have any ideas." She looked up at me. "Ember, you seem like a girl with a wide open mind. You got anything?"

"Well, I'm not you. So I can't tell you what to draw," I pointed out. "But if you want help, it helps drawing something that you really care for. When you really want to sketch the thing, that's where you do you best." Wow, did I say that? Since when was I good a giving heart-felt advice?

After a few seconds Ash nodded. "Right. Thanks for the advice."

I nodded, looking at the toast. "... That Shane guy." I noticed her head wince "Um, is his last name Gray?" she asked, almost afraid.

She blinked. "Why do you ask?"

There goes my confidence. "Never mind. Forget I asked."

"Um, if you say so Ember," Ash said awkwardly until I heard the alarm clock go off upstairs. She laughed and stood up. "Better turn that off before my mom wakes up." Ash went up the stairs and I followed. We arrived in our room and looked around, looking for where the alarm clock was. "Great, now where'd I leave it?"

"I think it got mixed up with my stuff when we reorganized yesterday," I said, confused. So this was what it was like to have a messy room, which wasn't filled with papers.

"Oh," she said, pouting. "Well, we better start looking. Help me."

We went through all the cardboard boxes around, some mine, some hers. I was gonna be moving a few things out of the room to make some room for her stuff. Not like I needed half this stuff. As Ash looked through some boxes for that stupid alarm clock, I noticed something. A cardboard box beside a dresser. It was filled to the middle of the box with photos. Some digital, some Polaroids. Most were of those boys and that girl from the first flashback I had. So it is them.

"Ah-ha! Found it!" Ash cheered in victory, holding up the alarm clock as she shut it off. I snapped out of my trance for a slight second. Ash grinned at her victory over her alarm clock until her watch went off, scaring her and making her drop the alarm clock.

"Y-You found it?" I asked from all the startleness.

Ash laughed nervously, trying to get the beeping from her watch to shut off. "Um, everything's fine. Now it's my, uh, watch's alarm I gotta worry about." Ash banged on it and made the beeping stop. She got up and went to the door. "Sorry to run off again, Ember, but I need to go somewhere, again."

Before she left, I bit my lower lip and picked up a hat from the top of her dresser. "Wait," I said, grabbing her shoulder.

Ash stopped and turned around, seeing me holding one of her green and yellow cat ear hats that matched her current outfit. "You don't wanna go out there without one of your trademark hats, do you?"

Ash smiled, placing it onto her head. "Thanks." She looked down noticed behind me the boy of the pictures. She knew I found them.

"Shane's watch went off a lot back then before he used to run off suddenly," I said. "Go, but be careful."

Ash smiled and hugged me, surprising me. "Don't worry too much about us." And with that Ash ran off, leaving me with a surprised expression before a smile came onto her face.

--

Once again it was night. I was sighing on my ow official bed. All my stuff was unpacked, thanks to help from Ash. All the stuff put away, all the boxes thrown, I was now living here.

But I still couldn't get Shane out of my mind. Over the course of the day, I've been thinking of things. Why haven't we kept in touch? Why did his brothers seem so hesitant to talk to me? And I had remembered more after looking through the pictures.

A small pebble a hit the window, catching my attention. I went over the window and opened it, barely missing another slightly larger pebble. "Hey, careful where you're aiming that thing!"

"Ember that you?" a voice asked from down there.

I squinted my eyes. It was Shane. "Oh, you again. You have any idea how late it is?" I asked, suddenly picking up my old attitude I had left back in Wyckoff. I don't know where I got it all of a sudden. I guess it just comes naturally with this guy.

Shane kept still, looking up at me. "I know you're Ember. I know it." I starred down at him. What was he trying to do? "Can you come down? We need to talk."

"I barely know you," I said, acting like he was some stranger.

"Ember please!" he called. "Don't make me throw more rocks up there," he said half jokingly, half threateningly.

I couldn't help but laugh, even a little. "I can't leave. I might get caught."

"Here, jump, I'll catch you," he said, holding out his arms.

"Shane are you crazy?!" I asked a little loud.

"So you do know my name!" he said with that grin.

I sighed, my hands on my face. "The things I do." I climbed out of the window then jumped, throwing caution to the wind. And surprisingly Shane caught me in his arms, at least for five seconds before he made us both fall. We only laughed.

"Are you ok?" he asked rolling over onto his stomach.

"I'm good," I said, rolling over onto my stomach too.

He stood up, holding his hand out. "Come on, follow me."

I trusted him and took his hand, following him through the quiet street-lit neighborhood. We made it to a small quiet park with a bunch of lanterns to keep the place bright. A lot of fire flies too. We bot sat down on the merry-go-round. That dream I had recently was becoming reality.

"Welcome back I guess," Shane said.

"Yeah," I said awkwardly, hugging my knees. "So how've you been?" I asked, not really knowing what to say.

I could see Shane thinking for a second at the corner of my eye. "Fine."

"Done anything.... exciting lately?" I added, pretty much just blabbering.

".... Not really," he answered sitting back. I could somehow tell it was a lie though. "Ember?"

"Yeah?" I asked right after, a little too fast.

"Do you... remember your last days here?" Shane asked, looking down.

I could remember an argument. So much yelling, so much holding back tears that wished to be let out. "Yes.... My dad wanted us to move away. We suggested me living with you.... But when the day came, you just yelled at me to go away."

"Yeah," Shane said, sorrow in his voice. I knew it wasn't his fault, and I knew I shouldn't have ran off without asking really why, but I probably am getting somewhere now. "I just wanted to.... say sorry."

I turned my head towards him. "Is that it?.... After all this time, that's all you came up with."

"Well you know me," Shane said, knowing that. "But.... I mean it, the truth, just like that day I told you about the star."

We both looked up, seeing it above us, shining down on us.

"I guess," I answered after a sigh. "It still hurt me though, thinking for two years you hated me."

"I was thinking you hated me," Shane added.

I smiled faintly. "And yet, I still looked at that star every night."

"Me too," Shane said, sitting up straight, his head upwards. "I'll be willing to tell you my reason for starting that whole argument if you're willing to answer this."

"Shoot," I said.

"Are you gonna be here to stay?"

My thoughts went back to my dad. He never said when he was coming back. He never said that he was coming back. It made me feel sad at the thought my father didn't care for me anymore but.... there was always a brighter side, waiting. Just like the brightness of the star, that waits during the day to shine during the night.

"I think I will," I said, smiling comfortingly for the first time.

Shane smiled too, placing his hand from his knee and down onto the merry go ground, his hand on mine. We smiled at each other and just starred up into the sky.

"About me and my brothers," Shane started, making a pause. "Don't laugh alright?"

"No promises," I said with a nod.

"We're.... part of a secret organization. G.R.A.Y."

"Gray?"

"It stands for Government Run Agents Youths," Shane chuckled. "And that's sorta what I was around the time I turned 12."

"Seriously?"

"Yup," Shane said, kinda proudly, being the same Shane I remembered. "It has its sweet sides. Traveling, skipping school, cool adventures...." He looked at me. "But then there are the bad sides."

"What are they?"

Shane looked down on the cement. "One thing I hate most about G.R.A.Y are the rules. We can't tell anybody under any circumstances, no one can find out outside the organization."

I was listening intently This was probably one of the only times Shane would ever be so serious.

"Anyway who did find out, ha to have their memory wiped by G.R.A.Y technology," Shane said, surprising me a bit. "But at the time, the technology wasn't as advanced as it is now."

"What do you mean?"

Shane sighed. "Point plank, since I, can't really comprehend technology and it's functions in any way possible," that made me chuckle, "If you had decided to stay in Wyckoff, even if it wasn't at my house.... you'd have to have your memory wiped."

"Why?"

"They figured you were suspicious of me," Shane explained. "How I kept disappearing, running off with no explanations for long periods of time."

"You did worry me a lot," I admitted for the first time.

Shane paused. "If you had your memory wiped by G.R.A.Y... you'd forget everything about it. Any crime that happened in the city that was stopped by G.R.A.Y, anything having to do with G.R.A.Y.... Even me."

Now that I didn't see coming. They were... actually going to erase my memory of Shane?

"And so I had to make a choice... either let you live with me, and have your memory wiped.... or let you move away with your dad... and leave me."

"Shane," I said softly.

"And that's why I started the fight," Shane completed. "I figured that if I got you angry and upset you'd decide to go away with your dad on your own decision, hopefully forget about me to." Shane held my hand with his fingers around mine. "But part of me was wishing I didn't have to push you away."

"Then I... guess I'd have to say thank you," I said difficultly. "I guess I'd rather say goodbye too than forget about you, Shane." I laughed. "Let's face it, as goofy as you are you're too good a friend to a person like me."

"Hey, you've got your good points too, Ember," Shane said, singing his arm around me. "Like... being aggressively aggressive.... strongly strong.... terrifyingly.... terrifying." I was laughing by now. "Punchingly punchy? I don't know. Either way you're very tough."

I laughed. "On you though."

".... Yeaaah," Shane nodded with a grin. "But you're also too good a friend to me too. No one gets a knuckle heard like a hard head."

I smiled and threw my arms Shane, hugging him. I caught him by surprise, but he hugged me back too, under the starlight of our brightest star.

--

"And well, here we are," Shane said. Shane, Nate, Jason, Aiden their little brother, Ash, and I were in mine and Ash's bedroom. It was now totally revamped so that I could live here. We've just come from the mall, and now the whole gang knew Shane told me about G.R.A.Y.

"Ember, welcome to the gang," Ash said with her arm around me, making me laugh.

"I think I can get used to here now," I said, smiling at Shane, who smiled back.


End file.
